Earth working roller

ABSTRACT

An earth working roller comprises a support structure ( 11 ), wherein to form a roller body ( 36 ) rotatable about a roller axis of rotation (A) on a radially outer region of the support structure ( 11 ), a plurality of first earth working units ( 30 ) is provided extending substantially in the direction of the roller axis of rotation (A) and/or a plurality of second earth working units ( 38 ) is provided extending substantially in the circumferential direction.

The present invention relates to an earth working roller, which may beused, in particular to fracture a solid substrate, for example, aconcrete substrate. Earth working rollers of this type are alsogenerally designated as crushing rollers.

A self-propelled earth working machine with an earth working rollerdesigned as a crushing roller is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,873. Theearth working roller of this known earth working machine comprises acylindrical roller shell, which is mounted on a machine frame to berotatable about a roller axis of rotation via a support structureprovided in the interior of the roller shell. Multiple rows of earthworking projections extending circumferentially in a zig-zag pattern areprovided on the outer face of the roller shell.

DE 10 2013 208 261 A1 discloses an earth working roller in which earthworking projections projecting beyond the outer periphery of the rollershell and annularly surrounding the same are provided on the outerperiphery of a substantially cylindrical roller shell.

EP 3 031 526 B1 discloses a rotor for crushing stone which is usable inan impact mill. The rotor has approximately quadratic support disks onits two axial end regions, between which beater bars, provided forcrushing stone, extend projecting radially outward.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an earth workingroller for an earth working machine which provides an improvedefficiency for earth working in a structurally simple design.

According to the invention, this problem is solved by an earth workingroller comprising a support structure, wherein a plurality of firstearth working units is provided extending substantially in the directionof the roller axis of rotation and/or a plurality of second earthworking units extending substantially in the circumferential directionis provided on a radially outer region of the support structure to forma roller body rotatable about a roller axis of rotation.

The earth working roller structured according to the inventioncomprises, unlike earth working rollers known from the prior art, noroller shell substantially closing off the earth working bars in theradially outward direction. Due to the structure of the roller bodycomprising a support structure, for example, comprising a plurality ofsupport disks or support struts and the earth working units providedthereon, a skeleton-like, basically radially outwardly open structure ofthe roller body is achieved. This structure is inherently basically verystiff, so that it is therefore able to bear the high footprint weight ofan earth working machine necessary for crushing substrates, for example,concrete material, yet itself has a comparatively low mass. This is thenparticularly substantially advantageous if a vibration generatingmechanism is assigned to this type of earth working roller, by means ofwhich the earth working roller may be set into vibration to improve thecrushing of the substrate.

In particular, it is hereby provided that the roller body issubstantially designed as open radially outwardly in the outerperipheral region of the support disks.

As already stated, a plurality of support disks arranged consecutivelyin the direction of a roller axis of rotation and connected to oneanother may be provided to form a roller body, wherein [a] plurality offirst earth working units extending substantially in the direction ofthe roller axis of rotation is provided on an outer peripheral region ofat least one part of the support disks and/or the plurality of secondearth working units extending substantially in the circumferentialdirection is provided on an outer peripheral region of at least one partof the support disks.

To support a rolling movement, the support disks may be designed with asubstantially circular outer peripheral contour. Furthermore, at least apart of the support disks may comprise a plurality of support disksegments arranged spaced circumferentially apart from one another. Thisalso contributes to a reduced total mass of the roller body.

In an alternative embodiment comprising a structure that likewisecontributes to a low mass of the roller body, the support structure maycomprise a plurality of support struts supporting in its radially outerregion the plurality of first earth working units extendingsubstantially in the direction of the roller axis of rotation and/orsupporting the plurality of second earth working units extendingsubstantially in the circumferential direction.

The support structure, for example, at least a part of the supportdisks, may be arranged surrounding a peripheral wall of a housing for avibration generating mechanism.

For a compact, stable structure, it is proposed that the support disksarranged surrounding the peripheral wall be fixedly connected to theperipheral wall, and/or that in at least one axial end region of theroller body, at least one support disk is connected to the support disksarranged surrounding the peripheral wall by at least one part of thefirst earth working units, wherein it may be provided in an advantageousway that the support disks arranged surrounding the peripheral wall arefixedly connected to the peripheral wall by welding.

To generate an oscillating movement, for example, a vibration, thus anoscillating movement substantially orthogonal to the roller axis ofrotation, overlapping a rolling movement of the earth working roller, itis proposed that a vibration generating mechanism with at least oneunbalanced mass rotatable about an unbalanced axis of rotation isarranged in the housing, and/or that the housing is closed by an endwall in at least one axial end region, wherein the unbalanced axis ofrotation preferably substantially corresponds to the roller axis ofrotation, and/or an unbalanced drive motor, assigned to the at least oneunbalanced mass, is mounted on an end wall.

An easy to manufacture, particularly stable structure may be achieved ifat least one first earth working unit comprises an earth working barfixedly connected to the support structure, for example, to at least onepart of the support disks. Since according to the invention, the rollerbody comprises no roller shell on the outer peripheral region of thesupport structure, for example, of the support disks, the first earthworking units or, in this embodiment the earth working bars, maythemselves be directly mounted on the support structure designed asopen, for example, as skeletal.

Advantageously, it may thereby be provided that each first earth workingunit comprises an earth working bar, and/or that a plurality of earthworking bars are arranged spaced circumferentially apart from oneanother.

Insofar as the support structure comprises support disks, that the atleast one earth working bar is fixedly connected to all support disks,and/or that the at least one earth working bar is fixedly connected toat least one part of the support disks by welding.

To maintain a variable structure, easily renovated by welding, it isproposed that at least one first earth working unit comprises a toolcarrier fixedly connected to at least one part of the support disks, andthat an earth working tool is detachably connected or connectable to atleast one tool carrier. Since in this structure, the tools used forworking the ground are basically detachably connected to a respectivetool carrier, different tools may be easily mounted on the roller body.Worn tools may be easily exchanged for new tools.

It may thereby be advantageously provided that each first earth workingunit comprises a tool carrier, and/or that at least one tool carrier hasa concave contour with respect to the outer periphery of the rollerbody, and/or that a plurality of tool carriers is arranged spacedcircumferentially apart from one another.

In the embodiment of the support structure comprising support disks, theat least one tool carrier may be fixedly connected to each support disk,and/or the at least one tool carrier may be fixedly connected to atleast one part of the support disks by welding.

For example, at least one earth working tool may be designed as an earthworking bar. An earth working bar of this type then extendssubstantially parallel to the roller axis of rotation and may then causea crushing of the substrate, when it strikes the substrate to beprocessed in the course of the rotation and thereby of the forwardmovement of the earth working roller, due to the forces abruptlyintroduced into the substrate.

For a stable connection of an earth working bar on a respective toolcarrier, it is proposed that the earth working bar comprises a socketregion designed for securing on a tool carrier and an earth workingregion projecting radially outward from the socket region in the case of[an] earth working tool mounted on a tool carrier.

A stable, yet easy to detach connection may be achieved in that at leastone earth working tool is connected or connectable by screwing to itssocket region and/or by clamping to a tool carrier.

In another embodiment, at least one earth working tool may comprise anearth working shell connected or connectable to at least two toolcarriers, positioned or positionable in a peripheral region radiallyoutwardly surrounding the support structure, for example, at least apart of the support disks optionally forming the support structure.

In order to thereby achieve a closed, easily realized structure of theearth working roller, it is proposed that a plurality of earth workingshells consecutively following one another in the circumferentialdirection is connected or connectable to a tool carrier in bothperipheral end regions.

If the support structure comprises support disks, it may be providedthat at least one earth working shell is positioned or positionable in aperipheral region radially outwardly surrounding all support disks.

Furthermore, at least one earth working shell may be connected orconnectable to the at least two tool carriers by screwing.

While this type of earth working shell may be designed as substantiallysmooth on its outer periphery so that an earth working roller thusdesigned may basically also be used as a compacting roller of a soilcompactor, it may basically also be provided that at least one rollertool is mounted on at least one earth working shell. Thus, it ispossible, in particular, to also provide one or more roller tools inaxial regions between, for example, two support disks of the supportstructure.

In one embodiment advantageous with respect to weight, at least oneearth working shell may be designed with a grid-like structure.

For example, it may be provided that at least one roller tool is mountedon each earth working shell, and/or that a plurality of roller tools ismounted on at least one earth working shell, and/or that at least oneinterchangeable holder is fixedly connected to at least one earthworking shell and at least one roller tool is detachably connected orconnectable to the at least one interchangeable holder.

At least one, preferably each roller tool may comprise a chisel. Atleast one, preferably each roller tool may also comprise a tamping foot.

For a stable connection of the earth working shells to the tool carriersprovided on the outer periphery of the support disks, it is proposedthat at least one earth working shell has in at least one peripheral endregion a tool carrier engagement region adapted to a concave contour ofa tool carrier.

At least one second earth working unit may comprise on the supportstructure, for example, on at least one support disk, at least one earthworking projection projecting radially outward between at least twofirst earth working units consecutively following one another in thecircumferential direction. In this case as well, a direct connection ofthe second earth working unit to the support disks is provided.

In particular, it may thereby be provided that at least one second earthworking unit comprises at least one earth working projection on eachsupport disk or on one or more similar components of the supportstructure.

It may additionally be provided that, for at least one second earthworking unit, the at least one earth working projection has acircumferential spacing to the first earth working units accommodatingthis second earth working unit between themselves in the circumferentialdirection.

For an advantageous structure, in particular for crushing a solidsubstrate, it is proposed that, if the support structure comprises oneor more support disks, then no second earth working unit is providedbetween at least two first earth working units consecutively followingone another in the circumferential direction for at least one carrierdisk. It may thereby additionally be provided, that, for at least onesupport disk, one second earth working unit is provided and no secondearth working unit is provided in alternation between first earthworking units consecutively following one another in the circumferentialdirection, and/or that, for support disks consecutively following oneanother in the direction of the roller axis of rotation, one secondearth working unit is provided on one of the support disks and no secondearth working unit is provided on the other support disk between firstearth working units consecutively following one another in thecircumferential direction.

A particularly stable, easily implemented structure may be achieved ifat least one earth working projection forms an integral component of asupport disk for at least one second earth working unit. Mountingseparate components is thus not necessary.

For a structure easily adaptable to different working environments, itis proposed that at least one second earth working unit comprises atleast one earth working projection carrier detachably connected orconnectable to a support disk or to one or more similar components ofthe support structure.

This may be realized, for example, in that at least one second earthworking unit comprises an earth working projection support portion on anouter peripheral region of a support disk or on one or more similarcomponents of the support structure, and that an earth workingprojection carrier is connected or connectable to this support disk inthe earth working projection support portion by screwing.

The present invention additionally relates to an earth working machinecomprising at least one earth working roller designed according to theinvention and mounted on a machine frame to be rotatable about theroller axis of rotation.

This type of earth working machine may be designed as a trailer machinewhich has no traction drive. Such an earth working machine may then bepulled or pushed by a towing machine, for example, a tractor, abulldozer, or a soil compactor or the like, over the substrate to beprocessed.

In particular, if a vibration generating mechanism is then assigned toan earth working roller of this type of earth working machine, it may beprovided that the earth working machine is hydraulically and/ormechanically coupled to a drive engine to provide the drive energy for avibration generating mechanism provided in the at least one earthworking roller. A mechanical coupling may be carried out, for example,by the mechanical coupling of the vibration generating mechanism to anauxiliary output shaft of a drive unit of the drive engine. A hydrauliccoupling may be carried out by connecting to the hydraulic circuit ofthis type of drive engine.

In one alternative configuration, a drive unit may be provided on anearth working machine designed without its own traction drive to providethe drive energy for a vibration generating mechanism provided in the atleast one earth working roller.

The earth working machine may alternatively designed as self-propelledand have a traction drive.

In this type of embodiment, a drive unit of the traction drive isprovided to provide the drive energy for a vibration generatingmechanism provided in the at least one earth working roller.Furthermore, a drive unit for the traction drive may be provided on theearth working machine, and a drive unit may be provided for the tractiondrive of a separately designed drive unit for the vibration generatingmechanism of the at least one earth working roller.

The present invention is subsequently described in detail with respectto the enclosed figures. As shown in:

FIG. 1 an earth working roller in a perspective view;

FIG. 2 the earth working roller from FIG. 1 in an axial view;

FIG. 3 the earth working roller from FIG. 1 in a radial view;

FIG. 4 a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 1 of an alternativelydesigned earth working roller;

FIG. 5 the earth working roller from FIG. 4 in an axial view;

FIG. 6 a longitudinal sectional view of the earth working roller fromFIG. 5, cutaway along a line VI-VI in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 a radial view of the earth working roller from FIG. 5 with earthworking tools applied thereon;

FIG. 8 an axial view of the earth working roller from FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 a perspective view of the earth working roller from FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 a partial axial view of the earth working roller from FIG. 7with the earth working tools partially detached therefrom;

FIG. 11 an earth working roller rolling on a substrate to be processed;

FIG. 12 a perspective view of an earth working roller with earth workingtroughs provided on the outer periphery of a roller body with rollertools supported on tool holders;

FIG. 13 a partial axial view of the earth working roller from FIG. 12with an earth working trough detached therefrom;

FIG. 14 a perspective view of an earth working roller with earth workingtroughs provided on the outer periphery of a roller body;

FIG. 15 a partial axial view of the earth working roller from FIG. 14with an earth working trough detached therefrom;

FIG. 16 a perspective partial view of another alternatively configuredearth working roller;

FIG. 17 a depiction of another alternatively configured earth workingroller corresponding to FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 a self-propelled earth working machine with an earth workingroller according to FIG. 9;

FIG. 19 a drive system for the vibration generating mechanism of theearth working roller of the earth working machine from FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 an earth working machine trailer with an earth working rolleraccording to FIG. 9;

FIG. 21 a drive system for the vibration generating mechanism of theearth working roller of the earth working machine from FIG. 18.

FIGS. 1 through 3 show a first embodiment of an earth working rollergenerally designated with reference numeral 10 which may be used tocrush a solid substrate, for example, a concrete substrate. Earthworking roller 10 comprises in this embodiment a support structure 11with a plurality of support disks 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 arranged in seriesin the direction of a roller axis of rotation A. Support disks 12, 14,16, 18, 20 are basically configured as annular and are formed with asubstantially circular contour on their outer periphery. Support disks14, 16, 18 lying in the central region of earth working roller 10 arearranged surrounding a substantially cylindrical peripheral wall 22 of ahousing generally designated with 24 and are secured on the outersurface of peripheral wall 22 by welding. Housing 24 is connected atboth axial ends via an end wall 26 or 28. Earth working roller 10 ismounted in the region of said end walls 26, 28 to be rotatable aboutroller axis of rotation A on a machine frame of an earth workingmachine, subsequently described in greater detail. A vibrationgenerating mechanism, likewise to be subsequently described in greaterdetail, is arranged in the interior of housing 24, and by means of whichan oscillation, oriented preferably substantially orthogonal to rolleraxis of rotation A, generally also designated as a vibration, may besuperimposed on a rolling movement of earth working roller 10 aboutroller axis of rotation A carried out in the earth working operation.

First earth working units 30 extending substantially in the direction ofroller axis of rotation A are provided on the outer peripheral region ofsupport disks 12, 14, 16, 18, 20. In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1through 3, each earth working unit 30 comprises an earth working bar 32.Recesses, open radially outwardly are designed on the outer peripheralregion of support disks 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 and are assigned to earthworking bars 32 of first earth working unit 30, and earth working bars32 are inserted into said recesses so that they project radiallyoutwardly beyond the circular base outer periphery 34 of support disks12, 14, 16, 18, 20 and thus, with a respective earth working region 37,may come into contact with the substrate to be processed. Earth workingregions 37 may have, as is clear in the figures, for example, twoprocessing edges formed by surfaces extending orthogonal to one another.

Earth working bars 32 are fixedly connected to support disks 12, 14, 16,18, 20 by welding so that basically a skeletal structure of a rollerbody 36 open radially outward is provided, formed substantially usingsupport disks 12, 14, 16, 18, 36, housing 24, and first earth workingunits 30 or earth working bars 32 of the same. It is thereby clear, inparticular in FIGS. 1 and 3, that support disks 14, 20 provided in therespective axial end regions of roller body 36 are only connected viafirst earth working units 30 to roller body 36 or other support disks14, 16, 18. In order to maintain access as freely as possible to endwalls 26, 28 of housing 24, support disks 12, 20 may be formed with alarger opening provided in the interior region of the same than supportdisks 14, 16, 18 connected to peripheral wall 22 of housing 24.

In addition, second earth working units 38 are provided on support disks12, 14, 16, 18, 20. In the embodiment shown, these are integral withsupport disks 12, 14, 16, 28, 20, thus designed as one piece, andcomprise earth working projections 40 projecting radially outward beyondbase outer periphery 34 of support disks 12, 14, 16, 18, 20. Said earthworking projections extend in each case in the circumferential directionbetween two directly adjacent first earth working units 30 or earthworking bars 32 of the same in such a way that they end edge-like at acircumferential spacing to the same. Earth working projections 40preferably have a radial projection height beyond base outer periphery34 of support disks 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 in such a way that they definethe same outer radius as earth working bars 32 define with their earthworking regions 37. Earth working projections 40, just like earthworking regions 37 of earth working bars 32, thus contact a fictivecylindrical surface surrounding roller body 36. It is clear in FIG. 1,that for each support disk 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, one second earth workingunit 38 is provided or no second earth working unit 38 is provided inalternation between two first earth working units 30 directly adjacentin the circumferential direction. A corresponding pattern is providedwhen viewed in the axial direction. In the direction of roller axis ofrotation A for consecutive support disks 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, one secondearth working unit 38 is provided or no second earth working unit 38 isprovided in alternation between two respective first earth working units30.

Due to the skeletal structure of roller body 36, open radially outward,an earth working roller 10 is provided with an inherently high stabilityyet at a comparatively low net weight. This means, that duringgeneration of a vibration by a vibration generating mechanism arrangedin housing 24, the mass of earth working roller 10 to be set intovibration is comparatively low, so that this vibration, thus, forexample, a vibration movement or vibration acceleration, may be usedvery efficiently for impact-like crushing of the substrate upon whichearth working roller 10 rolls.

One alternative embodiment of an earth working roller 10 is depicted inFIGS. 4 through 6. It is clear in FIGS. 4 through 6 that tool carriers42 of the respective first earth working units 36 are providedsequentially in the circumferential direction and respectively formed astray-like or trough-like and thus concave when viewed from a radiallyoutward direction, on the outer peripheral region of support disks 12,14, 16, 18, 20 arranged sequentially in the circumferential direction.Tool carriers 42 are fixedly connected to support disks 12, 14, 16, 18,20 by welding.

Similarly, second earth working units 38, depicted in the embodimentfrom FIGS. 4 through 6, each comprise earth working projection supportregions 44 on the outer peripheral region of support disks 12, 14, 16,18, 20. A similar arrangement pattern is clear in this case, as waspreviously described. It is clear in FIG. 5, that one earth workingprojection support region 44 is provided or no earth working projectionsupport region 44 is provided in alternation in the circumferentialdirection on each support disk 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 between two respectivefirst earth working units 30 or trough-like tool carriers 42 of the samedirectly adjacent to one another in the circumferential direction,wherein a corresponding alternating arrangement is also realized in theaxial sequence of support disks 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 between tworespective tool carriers 42 of first earth working units 42 directlyadjacent to one another in the circumferential direction.

FIGS. 7 through 10 show earth working roller 10, previously describedwith reference to FIGS. 4 through 6, with earth working bars 48detachably applied on tool carriers 42 of first earth working units 36and operating as earth working tools 46, just like in the embodiment ofFIGS. 1 through 3. As is particularly clear in FIG. 10, earth workingbars 48 are designed with a socket region 50 shaped with an expanding,for example, trapezoidal shape and an earth working region 52 projectingradially outward therefrom. To secure earth working bars 48 onrespective tool carriers 42, fixing strips 54, 56 are used, which extendalong earth working bar 50, and which are adapted on the one side to theprofile of socket region 50 and on the other side to the concave profileof tool carrier 42 and thus in the mounted state, together with earthworking bar 48 respectively clamped on tool carrier 42 by said fixingstrips, substantially completely fill in the interior of concave toolcarrier 42. Fixing strips 54, 56 may, for example, be secured on toolcarriers 42 by screw bolts 58, by which means a stable clamping of earthworking bars 48 is achieved. Earth working bars 48 and fixing strips 54,56 assigned to the same preferably extend across the entire axial lengthof tool carrier 42.

Second earth working units 38, assigned to earth working projectionsupport portion 44 provided on support disks 12, 14, 16, 18, 20,comprise earth working projection carriers 60 configured as arc shapedsegments designed as separate components, which may encompass earthworking projection support portion 44 in a U shape from radiallyoutward. These are dimensioned, for example, such that they extend ineach case completely between two earth working bars 48 or earth workingregions 52 of the same directly adjacent in the circumferentialdirection and have an enlarged radial projection height in thecircumferential spacing to earth working regions 52 and thus form earthworking projections 62. In these regions with increased radialprojection height, earth working projection carriers 60 designed asseparate components preferably end at the same level, like earth workingregions 52 of earth working bars 48.

Like fixing strips 54, 56, earth working projection carriers 60 ofsecond earth working units 38 also designed as separate components maybe secured on roller body 36, in particular on support disks 12, 14, 16,18, 20, by screwing.

The embodiment previously described with reference to FIGS. 4 through 10has the advantage that it facilitates an exchangeability of earthworking bars 48 or earth working projection carriers 60 coming intocontact with the substrate to be processed as a stable configuration.Due to this configuration, earth working bars 48 or earth workingprojection carriers 60 designed with different shapes may also be easilyprovided on roller body 36 so that an earth working roller 10 designedthusly may be easily adapted to different applications.

FIG. 11 illustrates how an earth working roller 10 provided with thepreceding structure enters into interaction with substrate 64 to beworked. It is clear on the one hand that there, where earth working bars32 or 48 come into contact with substrate 64 with their respective earthworking regions 37 or 52, fracture lines L₁ arise extendingsubstantially transverse to movement direction R of earth working roller10, and which extend substantially uninterrupted across the entire axialextension length of earth working roller 10. In movement direction R,fracture lines L₂ always arise, extending in each case between twofracture lines L₁, where earth working projections 40 or 62, arrangedaxially and radially alternating, come into contact with substrate 64.Thus, substrate 64, thus, for example, a concrete substrate to be brokenup, is broken into a plurality of sheet portions P lying offset to oneanother, which may then be comparatively easily removed by another earthworking machine, for example a backhoe or the like. For example, firstand second earth working units 30, 38 may be distributed across theouter periphery of earth working roller 10 such that a maximum mutualspacing of fracture lines L₁ of 50-70 cm is created, while the mutualspacing of fracture lines L₂ is approximately double the spacing offracture lines L₁. Segments are thus generated that may be easilysupplied for further processing.

FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate that roller body 36, as previously describedwith reference to FIGS. 4 through 10, may also be used in other ways. Inparticular, earth working shells 66 may be provided as earth workingtools 46 extending in the direction of roller axis of rotation A,preferably across the entire length of earth working roller 10 or ofroller body 36, on tool carriers 42 of first earth working units 30.These are preferably dimensioned such that they each extend in thecircumferential direction across three tool carriers 42 in such a waythat they engage halfway into a respective tool carrier 42 using a toolcarrier engagement region 68, 70 respectively provided on a peripheralend region, wherein tool carrier engagement regions 68, 70 are adaptedto the concave shape of tool carrier 42 so that the tool carrierengagement regions of two earth working shells 66 consecutivelyfollowing one another in the circumferential direction togethercompletely fill in one of concave tool carriers 42, and are securedthereon by screw bolts 72. In one central region in the circumferentialdirection, earth working shells 66 have another tool carrier engagementregion 74, which is positioned and shaped so that it substantiallycompletely fills in or completely contacts one tool carrier 42completely straddled by a respective earth working shell 66 in thecircumferential direction. In this way, an increased supportingstability of earth working shells 66 is guaranteed.

Roller body 36 is completely closed toward the outside by earth workingshells 66 arranged consecutively following one another in thecircumferential direction. In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 12 and13, multiple interchangeable holders 76 are secured on the outer side ofearth working shells 66, for example, by welding. Roller tools 78, inthe example depicted, chisels 80, may be detachably inserted intointerchangeable holders 76 so that, on the one hand, a correspondingexchange may be carried out to replace roller tools 78 with other rollertools, for example, tamping feet or the like, and on the other hand,worn roller tools may be replaced by new roller tools.

FIGS. 14 and 15 show a configuration in which no tool holders or rollertools or other formations are provided on earth working shells 66 on theouter side. Earth working shells 66 thus form a substantially smoothconfiguration, closed in the circumferential direction, so that an earthworking roller 10 designed thusly may be used, for example, forcompacting a substrate. This shows the high variability of an earthworking roller 10, which is designed with a skeletal roller body 36,basically open radially outwardly, with tool carriers 42 of first earthworking units 30 provided thereon. In the configuration, previouslydescribed with reference to FIGS. 12 through 15, in which earth workingshells 66 are connected on an outer periphery of a roller body 36designed in this way, earth working projection support regions 44 ofsecond earth working units 38 are substantially not used or merelyfunction for radial support of the regions extending thereabove of earthworking shells 66.

Earth working shells 66 depicted in FIGS. 12-15 may also be configuredin another way. For example, bar-like roller tools may be secured on theouter surface of earth working shells 66, for example, by welding orscrewing or the like. These types of roller tools may, for example, bearranged extending in a zig-zag course in the circumferential directionabout the roller axis of rotation, or may extend in a circular ringshape about the roller axis of rotation and/or may extend substantiallyin the direction of the roller axis of rotation. Furthermore, earthworking shells 66 themselves may have an open structure, for example, agrid-like structure in which openings are formed between a plurality ofstruts forming this open structure. These struts forming the grid-likestructure may extend running partially in the circumferential direction,in the direction of the roller axis of rotation or obliquely thereto,and may themselves be effective or designed as roller tools, or may bedesigned as tool carriers on which additional roller tools coming intocontact with the substrate to be processed may be secured by screwing.

FIGS. 16 and 17 show alternative embodiment variants of supportstructure 11 of roller body 36 in a sectional view. In FIG. 16, forexample, it is clear in conjunction with support disk 14, that thiscomprises a plurality of segments 14 a, 14 b, 14 c, 14 d, 14 e, whicheach are arranged spaced circumferentially apart from one another andrespectively support in their radially outer region two first earthworking units 30 or earth working bars 32 of the same. The other supportdisks, in particular support disks 16, 18 fixedly connected toperipheral wall 22 of housing 24, may also be designed in this type ofsegmented way.

In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 17, support structure 11 isconstructed using, for example, a plurality of support struts 35extending, for example, substantially radially, and likewise connectedto peripheral wall 22 of housing 24. These may, for example, be providedfollowing one another annularly in the circumferential direction wherethe support disks connected to peripheral wall 22 are positioned in thepreviously described embodiment; however, they may equally be arrangedat other axial positions and axially offset to one another.

First earth working units 30, for example, earth working bars 32 of thesame, or also previously described tool carriers 42, extending in theradial direction, are secured on the radially outer end regions ofsupport struts 35, e.g., by welding. Second earth working units 38 areprovided in the circumferential direction between support struts 35 orfirst earth working units 30 connected thereto. These may, as in thecase of support disk 12, be combined into a ring and may be connected onthe one side to the radially outer ends of support struts 35, forexample, by welding, and on the other side may support first earthworking units 30. Alternatively, segments 39 may be provided betweensupport struts 35 or first earth working units 30, consecutivelyfollowing one another in the circumferential direction, of which, forexample, each second segment 39 in the circumferential direction has anearth working projection 40 projecting radially outward. Thedistribution of segments 39 having respective earth working projections40 may be as previously described. Thus, a sequence of segments 39having earth working projections 40 and segments 39 having no earthworking projections 40 may be provided both in the circumferentialdirection as well as in the axial direction. In the meaning of thepresent invention, segments 39 may thus replace the regions of thesupport disks positioned there in the previously described embodimentsand may completely take over their functionality. In particular, itmight also be provided that second earth working units 38 comprise earthworking projections designed as separate components or tools and maythen be secured on segments 39 designed for accommodating the same asearth working projection carriers.

FIG. 17 further illustrates that reinforcing struts may be provided forincreasing the stability of support struts 35 and optionally connectedto housing 24. Thus, reinforcing struts 51 may be provided, which, forexample, fixedly connect adjacent support struts 35 running in thecircumferential direction to one another. As illustrated by way ofreinforcing struts S2 and S3, multiple struts of this type may also bepositioned staggered in the radial direction. Reinforcing struts S4, S5show that a cross-wise or intersecting arrangement is also possible.Reinforcing strut S6 shows that, in particular, the axial end regions offirst earth working units 30, which axially project beyond housing 24,may be supported relative to housing 24 by reinforcement struts so that,optionally support disk 12 visible there may be omitted.

Reference is made to the fact that these types of reinforcing struts maybe provided assigned to all support struts 35 or earth working units,wherein different configurations of reinforcing struts may be providedassigned to different support struts. Support structure 11 may alsocomprise a combination of support disks and support struts orreinforcing struts in order to achieve a further increased rigidity ofroller body 36 in this way.

FIG. 18 shows an earth working machine, generally designated with 92, onwhich an earth working roller 10, designed according to the invention,is used, for example, with the structure explained in FIGS. 4 through10. The earth working machine, basically designed according to a type ofsoil compactor, comprises wheels 84, driven by a drive unit (not shown)on a rear end 82 for forward movement of earth working machine 80. Acontrol platform 86, in which an operating person may be accommodatedfor operating earth working machine 92, is additionally provided on rearend 82. A front end 88 comprises a machine frame 90, articulatelyconnected to rear end 82, on which earth working roller 10 is rotatablymounted between two supports 94, 96. As previously already set forth,this rotatable connection may be carried out, for example, via end walls26, 28 of housing 24 provided in the central region of earth workingroller 10.

FIG. 19 illustrates a vibration generating mechanism 98 arranged in theinterior of earth working roller 10, in particular in the interior ofhousing 24. Said vibration generating mechanism comprises in the exampledepicted two unbalanced masses 100, 102 which are mounted on anunbalanced shaft 104 to be rotatable about an unbalanced axis ofrotation U substantially corresponding to roller axis of rotation A. Anunbalanced drive motor 106 may, for example, be arranged in the interiorof housing 24 or may be mounted on one of two end walls 26, 28. In theexample depicted, unbalanced drive motor 106 is designed as a hydraulicmotor, which is supplied with hydraulic fluid via a hydraulic pump 108.Hydraulic pump 108, which preferably has a variable delivery rate, may,for example, be driven by a drive unit 110 of earth working machine 92,for example, an auxiliary drive of drive unit 110; however, it may alsobasically be driven by a drive unit designed separately from the driveunit provided for the traction drive of earth working machine 10.Basically, hydraulic pump 108 may also be integrated into the hydrauliccircuit basically provided on earth working machine 92, or may representthe same so that, for example, when using corresponding valve units,unbalanced drive motor 106 may be supplied with pressurized fluid in asuitable way in earth working operation.

An alternative embodiment variant of an earth working machine 112 isdepicted in FIG. 20. Earth working machine 112 from FIG. 20 is an earthworking machine trailer, which does not have its own traction drive.Earth working machine 112 comprises a machine frame 114 with twosupports 116, 118 rotatably supporting earth working roller 10. Earthworking machine 112 may be coupled via a trailer drawbar 120 to a towingvehicle, for example, a tractor, a soil compactor, a bulldozer oranother construction machine, in order to be pulled or pushed by thesame and thereby moved across the substrate to be processed.

Reference is made to the fact that a hydraulically and/or mechanicallyacting transmission mechanism may be provided on this type of earthworking machine trailer 112, via which transmission mechanism earthworking roller 10 may be driven to rotate by coupling to a drive unit oftowing vehicle 124. Even though a torque may be transferred to earthworking roller 10 via the transmission mechanism in this type ofconfiguration, in the meaning of the present invention, this type ofearth working machine trailer 112, in which the energy for transferringa torque to earth working roller 10 is provided by a drive unit providedon towing vehicle 124, is basically not considered to be aself-propelled earth working machine, but instead is considered to be anearth working machine trailer, as this type of earth working machine maynot be operated without coupling to the towing vehicle providing thedrive energy.

In order to be able to use an earth working roller 10 with a vibrationgenerating mechanism 98 assigned to the same in the design of an earthworking machine 112 depicted in FIG. 18, hydraulic pump 108, as depictedin principle in FIG. 21, may be mechanically coupled to an auxiliaryoutput shaft 122 of a drive unit of a towing machine 124 functioning asthe traction drive or to another power take off shaft of towing machine124. Hydraulic circuit 109 comprising pump 108 and hydraulic motor 106is thereby preferably provided completely on earth working machine 112.Hydraulic pump 108 is driven by auxiliary output shaft 122, wherein thisis designed with a variable delivery rate in order to be able to adjustthe amount of hydraulic fluid conveyed in this way and thus also toadjust the speed of hydraulic motor 106. In one alternative embodiment,a separate drive unit 126 may be provided, assigned to hydraulic pump108 or to vibration generating mechanism 98, which may be used foroperating hydraulic pump 108 and thus vibration generating mechanism 98independently from the drive unit provided for the traction drive oftowing machine 124. This drive unit 126 may, for example, be provided onearth working machine 112 together with hydraulic circuit 109, so thatthe energy required for driving vibration generating mechanism 98 may begenerated at earth working machine 112 itself and may be transferred tothis mechanism.

Finally, reference is made to the fact that the previously describedearth working roller may be varied in the most varied aspects, withoutdeviating from the principles of the present invention. Thus, forexample, earth working bars extending in the direction of the rolleraxis of rotation, just like the tool carriers of the first earth workingunits, might also be arranged spaced apart from one another and/or beprovided as segments lying offset from one another in thecircumferential direction. Also, the support disks, designedsubstantially with a circular outer peripheral contour, might bedesigned as polygons in order to achieve a contour approximating acircular shape in this way. It is important for a substantially uniformrolling movement, that the earth working regions of the earth workingunits coming into contact with the substrate lie approximately on acommon cylindrical surface.

To process the substrate, the earth working units or the earth workingregions of the same may be designed with different contours. Thus, theseedged contours visible in the figures may have an approximatelyrectangular cross section. Alternatively, the or at least some of theearth working regions may be designed with a tapered, thus wedge-likecontour.

1. An earth working roller comprising a support structure, wherein toform a roller body rotatable about a roller axis of rotation on aradially outer region of the support structure, a plurality of firstearth working units is provided extending substantially in the directionof the roller axis of rotation and a plurality of second earth workingunits is provided extending substantially in the circumferentialdirection, wherein at least one second earth working unit includes atleast one earth working projection projecting radially outward on thesupport structure between at least two first earth working unitsconsecutively following one another in the circumferential direction. 2.The earth working roller according to claim 1, wherein the roller bodyis designed as substantially open radially outward in its outerperipheral region.
 3. The earth working roller according to claim 1,wherein the support structure comprises a plurality of support disksarranged consecutively in the direction of the roller axis of rotationand connected to one another to form the roller body, wherein theplurality of first earth working units extending substantially in thedirection of the roller axis of rotation is provided on an outerperipheral region of at least one part of the support disks and/or theplurality of second earth working units extending substantially in thecircumferential direction is provided on an outer peripheral region ofat least one part of the support disks.
 4. The earth working rolleraccording to claim 3, wherein at least one part of the support disks isdesigned with a substantially circular outer peripheral contour, and/orwherein at least one part of the support disks comprises a plurality ofsupport disk segments arranged spaced circumferentially apart from oneanother.
 5. The earth working roller according to claim 1, wherein thesupport structure comprises a plurality of support struts supporting intheir radially outer region the plurality of first earth working unitsextending substantially in the direction of the roller axis of rotationand/or the plurality of second earth working units extendingsubstantially in the circumferential direction.
 6. The earth workingroller according to claim 1, wherein the support structure is arrangedsurrounding a peripheral wall of a housing for a vibration generatingmechanism and/or is connected to the peripheral wall.
 7. The earthworking roller according to claim 3, wherein at least one part of thesupport disks is arranged surrounding the peripheral wall of thehousing, wherein the support disks arranged surrounding the peripheralwall are fixedly connected to the peripheral wall, and/or wherein in atleast one axial end region of roller body, at least one support disk isconnected to the support disks arranged surrounding the peripheral wallby at least one part of the first earth working units, and/or whereinthe support disks arranged surrounding the peripheral wall are fixedlyconnected to the peripheral wall by welding, and wherein the supportstructure is arranged surrounding a peripheral wall of a housing for avibration generating mechanism and/or is connected to the peripheralwall.
 8. The earth working roller according to claim 6, wherein thevibration generating mechanism with at least one unbalanced massrotatable about an unbalanced axis of rotation is arranged in thehousing, and/or wherein the housing is closed by an end wall in at leastone axial end region.
 9. The earth working roller according to claim 8,wherein the unbalanced axis of rotation substantially corresponds toroller axis of rotation, and/or wherein an unbalanced drive motorassigned to the at least one unbalanced mass is arranged on an end wall.10. The earth working roller according to one of the preceding claim 1,wherein at least one first earth working unit comprises an earth workingbar fixedly connected to the support structure.
 11. The earth workingroller according to claim 10, wherein each first earth working unitcomprises an earth working bar, and/or wherein a plurality of earthworking bars is arranged spaced circumferentially apart from oneanother.
 12. The earth working roller according to claim 3, wherein theat least one earth working bar is fixedly connected to all support disksand/or wherein the at least one earth working bar is fixedly connectedto at least a part of the support disks by welding, and wherein at leastone first earth working unit comprises an earth working bar fixedlyconnected to the support structure.
 13. The earth working rolleraccording to claim 1, wherein at least one first earth working unitcomprises a tool carrier fixedly connected to the support structure, andwherein an earth working tool is detachably connected or connectable toat least one tool carrier.
 14. The earth working roller according toclaim 13, wherein each first earth working unit comprises a toolcarrier, and/or wherein at least one tool carrier has a concave contourwith respect to the outer periphery of the roller body, and/or wherein aplurality of tool carriers is arranged spaced circumferentially apartfrom one another.
 15. The earth working roller according to claim 3,wherein the at least one tool carrier is fixedly connected to eachsupport disk, and/or wherein the at least one tool carrier is fixedlyconnected to at least one part of the support disks by welding, andwherein at least one first earth working unit comprises a tool carrierfixedly connected to the support structure, and wherein an earth workingtool is detachably connected or connectable to at least one toolcarrier.
 16. The earth working roller according to claim 13, wherein atleast one earth working tool is designed as an earth working bar. 17.The earth working roller according to claim 16, wherein the earthworking bar comprises a socket region designed for securing on a toolcarrier and an earth working region projecting radially outward from thesocket region for an earth working tool mounted on a tool carrier. 18.The earth working roller according to claim 17, wherein at least oneearth working tool is connected or connectable in its socket region byscrewing and/or clamping to a tool carrier.
 19. The earth working rolleraccording to claim 13, wherein at least one earth working tool comprisesan earth working shell positioned or positionable surrounding thesupport structure radially outwardly, and connected or connectable to atleast two tool carriers.
 20. The earth working roller according to claim19, wherein a plurality of earth working shells consecutively followingone another in the circumferential direction is connected or connectableto a tool carrier in both peripheral end regions respectively, and/orwherein at least one earth working shell is connected or connectable tothe at least two tool carriers by screwing.
 21. The earth working rolleraccording to claim 3, wherein at least one earth working shell ispositioned or positionable surrounding all support disks radiallyoutwardly in a peripheral region, and wherein at least one earth workingtool comprises an earth working shell positioned or positionablesurrounding the support structure radially outwardly, and connected orconnectable to at least two tool carriers.
 22. The earth working rolleraccording to claim 19, wherein at least one roller tool is mounted on atleast one earth working shell, and/or wherein at least one earth workingshell is designed with a grid-like structure.
 23. The earth workingroller according to claim 22, wherein at least one roller tool ismounted on each earth working shell, and/or wherein a plurality ofroller tools is mounted on at least one earth working shell, and/orwherein at least one interchangeable holder is fixedly connected to atleast one earth working shell and at least one roller tool is detachablyconnected or connectable to the at least one interchangeable holder. 24.The earth working roller according to claim 23, wherein at least oneroller tool comprises a chisel, and/or wherein at least one roller toolcomprises a tamping foot.
 25. The earth working roller according toclaim 19, wherein at least one earth working shell has in at least oneperipheral end region a tool carrier engagement region adapted to aconcave contour of a tool carrier.
 26. (canceled)
 27. The earth workingroller according to claim 3, wherein at least one second earth workingunit comprises at least one earth working projection projecting radiallyoutward on at least one support disk between at least two first earthworking units (30) consecutively following one another in thecircumferential direction.
 28. The earth working roller according toclaim 27, wherein at least one second earth working unit comprises atleast one earth working projection on each support disk.
 29. The earthworking roller according to claim 27, wherein, for at least one supportdisk, no second earth working unit is provided between at least twofirst earth working units consecutively following one another in thecircumferential direction.
 30. The earth working roller according toclaim 29, wherein, for at least one support disk, one second earthworking unit is provided and no second earth working unit is provided inalternation between first earth working units consecutively followingone another in the circumferential direction.
 31. The earth workingroller according to claim 30, wherein, for support disks consecutivelyfollowing one another in the direction of the roller axis of rotation,one second earth working unit is provided between first earth workingunits consecutively following one another in the circumferentialdirection on one of support disks and no second earth working unit isprovided on the other support disk.
 32. The earth working rolleraccording to claim 27, wherein, for at least one second earth workingunit, at least one earth working projection forms an integral componentof a support disk.
 33. The earth working roller according to claim 27,wherein at least one second earth working unit comprises at least oneearth working projection carrier detachably connected or connectable toa support disk.
 34. The earth working roller according to claim 33,wherein at least one second earth working unit comprises an earthworking projection support portion on an outer peripheral region of asupport disk, and wherein an earth working projection carrier isconnected or connectable to said support disk in the earth workingprojection support portion by screwing.
 35. The earth working rolleraccording to claim 1, wherein for at least one second earth workingunit, the at least one earth working projection has a circumferentialspacing to the first earth working units accommodating said second earthworking unit between themselves in the circumferential direction.
 36. Anearth working machine, comprising at least one earth working rolleraccording to claim 1 mounted on a machine frame to be rotatable aboutthe roller axis of rotation.
 37. The earth working machine according toclaim 36, wherein the earth working machine is designed as a trailermachine and does not have a traction drive.
 38. The earth workingmachine according to claim 37, wherein the earth working machine is tobe hydraulically and/or mechanically coupled to a drive engine toprovide the drive energy for a vibration generating mechanism providedin the at least one earth working roller.
 39. The earth working machineaccording to claim 37, wherein a drive unit is provided on the earthworking machine to provide the drive energy for a vibration generatingmechanism provided in the at least one earth working roller.
 40. Theearth working machine according to claim 36, wherein the earth workingmachine is self-propelled and has a traction drive.
 41. The earthworking machine according to claim 40, wherein a drive unit of thetraction drive is provided to provide the drive energy for a vibrationgenerating mechanism provided in the at least one earth working roller,or wherein a drive unit is provided on the earth working machine for thetraction drive and a drive unit, designed separately from the drive unitfor traction drive, is provided for the vibration generating mechanismof the at least one earth working roller.